Your Next Move

In this episode of Your Next Move, Inc. staff reporter Ali Donaldson sits down with Chris Schembri, founder of Alethia Marketing and Media, ranked No. 1,342 on the 2025 Inc. 5000. Alethia is a marketing solutions and media company that combines behavioral science, audience data, and AI to help brands understand what motivates their customers and create more effective campaigns.

Chris explains how Alethia developed its values-driven marketing approach—and why moving beyond traditional demographic targeting can improve campaign performance by as much as 20 to 25 percent. He also shares how acquisitions, recurring data revenue, and thought leadership have helped the company distinguish itself in a crowded industry.

The conversation also explores how Alethia is incorporating AI into data analysis, hiring, and everyday workflows; why founders must learn to trust their leadership teams as their companies grow; and how transparency guides difficult decisions around costs and staffing. Plus, Chris discusses the dangers of relying on a handful of large clients, the growing importance of visibility in AI-powered search, and why sustainable growth requires entrepreneurs to build a strategy beyond hope.

In this episode of Your Next Move: Audio Edition, former Inc. staff reporter Ben Sherry sits down with Luba Kaplan, founder of pediatric therapy provider Kidology, ranked No. 3,726 on the 2025 Inc. 5000. Based in the Philadelphia area, Kidology provides speech, occupational, physical, and behavioral therapy to children and young adults from birth through age 21.

Luba explains how her background as a Russian-speaking speech-language pathologist helped her recognize an unmet need, challenge cultural stigmas surrounding disabilities and developmental delays, and build a community-centered practice. She also shares how Kidology grew from a contractor-based operation without an office into two 5,500-square-foot clinics featuring sensory play gyms—and how embracing teletherapy helped the business adapt during the pandemic.

Plus, Luba discusses the risks and rewards of accepting insurance, the importance of building trust with pediatricians and families, and her plans to expand through pop-up locations in Philadelphia. She also explores how virtual reality, AI-assisted documentation, and other emerging tools could make pediatric therapy more measurable, engaging, and accessible—without losing the human connection at the heart of the work.

In this episode of Your Next Move: Audio Edition, Inc. senior editor Rebecca Deczynski sits down with Ebony Wilkins, president and CEO of Aalis Management Consulting, a government contracting firm ranked No. 369 on the 2025 Inc. 5000. The company provides acquisition support, financial management, and digital transformation services to more than 10 federal agencies.

Wilkins explains how consistency, discipline, and regular self-assessment helped make Alice Management Consulting a two-time Inc. 5000 honoree. She also recounts how she rebuilt the company after losing every contract and watching its revenue fall to zero during the early days of the pandemic—and why persistent follow-up is the key to turning professional relationships into new business.

Drawing on her experience as an Army veteran, Wilkins shares how a mission-driven mindset influences her leadership, hiring, and company culture. Plus, she discusses preparing employees to work with AI, helping government agencies navigate digital transformation, and finally transitioning from working in her business to focusing on its long-term strategy.

Leah Solivan of TaskRabbit and Joanna Strober of Midi Health discuss funding, infrastructure decisions, and AI opportunities that are rewriting the rules.

In this episode of Your Next Move: Audio Edition, Inc. senior editor Tim Crino sits down with Yann Deredec, cofounder and chief growth officer of Yama Group, a San Diego–based pharmaceutical and biotech marketing agency making its second consecutive appearance on the Inc. 5000.

Yan explains how a lack of creativity in healthcare communications inspired him to leave the corporate world and launch Yama Group during the 2009 financial crisis. He also shares how the company has remained profitable without outside investment, why developing strong leaders has been one of its greatest challenges, and how a “blue ocean” strategy helps the agency pursue distinctive opportunities rather than compete in crowded markets.

The conversation explores Yama Group’s immersive patient-simulation platforms, which help doctors navigate complex treatment decisions and engage with lifelike virtual patients. Yan also discusses the need for responsible AI guardrails in healthcare, the risks surrounding sensitive patient data, and how reduced research funding could affect medical innovation.

Breaking into established markets requires strategic vision, passion, and relentless execution. This episode explores how to spot opportunities and think like a disruptor. It features insights from Olipop’s Ben Goodwin and Netic’s Melisa Tokmak, two founders who’ve scaled their businesses by challenging traditional industries and introducing consumers and clients to innovative alternatives.

Breaking into established markets requires strategic vision, passion, and relentless execution. This episode explores how to spot opportunities and think like a disrupter. It features insights from Olipop’s Ben Goodwin and Netic’s Melisa Tokmak, two founders who’ve scaled their businesses by challenging traditional industries and introducing consumers and clients to innovative alternatives.

In this episode of Your Next Move: Audio Edition, Inc. staff reporter Brian Contreras sits down with Paul Goldman, founder and CEO of music copyright administration company Music, ranked No. 2,959 on the 2025 Inc. 5000. Based in Nashville, Music helps artists, publishers, and rights holders navigate the complex world of royalties, copyright, and intellectual property through a technology platform that manages more than 25 million copyrights worldwide.

Paul shares how the company evolved from a scrappy startup into a growing industry player, why the next phase of growth requires a different approach to capital and asset management, and how founders must shift from day-to-day operations to long-term strategy as their businesses mature. He also discusses the challenges of scaling company culture, lessons learned from navigating sudden industry disruptions, and why resilience matters more than ever in today's business environment.

Plus, Paul explains how Music's patented AI technology is helping untangle the massive data challenges behind music royalties and why he believes the future of the music industry depends on creating more balanced relationships between technology platforms, rights holders, and creators.

In this episode of Your Next Move, Inc., staff reporter Ali Donaldson sits down with Susan Sutherland, founder and CEO of Just Events Group, the parent company behind JustRight Destination Management and Just Marry, ranked No. 1,326 on the 2025 Inc. 5000.

Susan reflects on leading an events company through the uncertainty of COVID, the explosive return of in-person experiences, and why human connection remains the foundation of her business. She shares lessons on building a people-first culture, maintaining transparency during difficult times, and creating career growth opportunities that keep employees engaged in a high-pressure industry.

The conversation also explores the role of AI in event planning, the challenges of scaling a service-driven company, the realities of working alongside family members, and the trends shaping the future of events—from immersive experiences to changing food-and-beverage preferences among younger generations. Susan offers an honest look at leadership, overcoming imposter syndrome, and what it takes to sustain growth when success depends on both relationships and trust.

In this episode of Your Next Move: Audio Edition, recorded live at the Inc. 5000 Conference, Inc. staff reporter Chloe Aiello sits down with Ronica Cleary, founder and CEO of Cleary Strategies, an award-winning public relations firm specializing in earned media.

Cleary breaks down what “earned media” really means—and why credibility, not clicks, remains the most powerful currency for growing companies. Drawing on her background as a former journalist, she explains how brands can position themselves as truly newsworthy, navigate an increasingly complex media landscape, and measure ROI in a space where impact isn’t always easy to quantify.

The conversation also explores how AI is reshaping PR workflows and newsrooms, why SEO and generative search are becoming essential growth drivers, and how Cleary has evolved her go-to-market strategy beyond traditional networking. She shares candid insights on scaling a service business, building a strong remote culture, and adapting to the shift from traditional media toward podcasts and digital platforms.

Looking ahead, Cleary outlines her vision for growth—doubling revenue while staying laser-focused on delivering high-impact earned media—and reflects on what it takes to remain indispensable in a rapidly changing communications industry.